This invention relates generally to electricity meters and, more particularly, to solid-state residential meters.
Known mechanical electricity meters include a rotating disk to register, or measure, energy delivered to a load. The disk is coupled to a register. The disk rotates at a speed proportional to energy consumed by the load, and the register displays the amount of energy consumed by the load. To determine whether the meter is operating correctly, e.g., properly coupled between the power lines and a load, a portion of the disk is visible from outside the meter. A technician can view the disk and then easily determine whether the meter is properly connected by observing the direction of rotation of the disk. The direction of current flow is indicated by the direction of rotation of the disk.
Solid state, or electronic, electricity meters are becoming more prevalent in the industry. Electronic electricity meters do not include a rotating disk. Rather, such meters may include an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit is connected to a display enabling energy consumption to be read from outside the meter. One disadvantage of many known electronic electricity meters is the inability to visually display a rotating disk that indicates the direction of current flow through the meter. An additional disadvantage is that the rate at which energy is being consumed by the load is not visually displayed.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a display visible from outside the meter that indicates the rate and direction of power flowing through the meter in an easy to read format.
These and other objects may be attained by an electronic electricity meter that includes a disk analog display including an energy consumption display. In addition to the energy consumption display, the meter display includes a series of segments that indicate the direction of current flow and the rate of energy consumption. In one embodiment, the series of segments turn on, or illuminate, to indicate the direction of current flowing through the meter and the rate of energy being consumed by the load. The series of segments includes a first segment, a second segment, and a third segment that are activated, or illuminate, in a pre-set sequence as energy is consumed. The segments are deactivated, or blank, to indicate the time it takes one energy unit to be consumed by the load.
In one embodiment, the first segment illuminates when approximately 70% of the energy consumption unit is measured, the second segment illuminates when approximately 80% of the energy consumption unit is measured, and the third segment illuminates when approximately 90% of the energy consumption unit is measured. Then, the first, second, and third segments blank when approximately 100% of the unit is consumed by the load. This sequence provides a xe2x80x9cready, set, goxe2x80x9d indicator to provide adequate notice that the end of the unit is approaching.
The sequence alerts the technician that the meter is completing the measurement of one energy consumption unit and allows the technician to precisely determine the length of time it takes the unit of energy to be consumed by the load. The segments illuminate in reverse order if the current flows through the meter in the opposite direction.
The above described disk analog display for an electronic electricity meter indicates the direction of current flow through the meter and the rate at which energy is being consumed by the load. The display also provides a xe2x80x9cready, set, goxe2x80x9d indicator to alert a technician to the approaching end of an energy consumption unit.